site.btaSofia Welcomes Beaujolais Nouveau 2025

Sofia welcomed the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau at a reception at the National Palace of Culture on Thursday evening.

Following an old French tradition, the first young wine of the year is celebrated on the third Thursday of November. The tradition has been observed in Bulgaria for nearly 20 years, largely thanks to the French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which annually brings together the country’s business and political elite for a reception in honour of Beaujolais Nouveau.

At the event, Bulgaria’s Vice President Iliana Iotova said that many stories and legends surround the appearance of Beaujolais wine, but it shows that in both the world of people and the world of wine nothing is impossible - a young wine succeeds among so many established white, red and rose varieties.

Iotova thanked the French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for its many valuable joint projects with Bulgarian companies, noting that Bulgaria now hosts around 100 representatives of French small and medium-sized enterprises. She described the Chamber as the most ambitious, effective and active among all foreign chambers in Bulgaria.

During the ceremony, French-Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board Chair Stephane Delaye said that Sofia is joining 110 cities worldwide in the celebration of the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau in 2025. 

French Ambassador to Bulgaria Marie Dumoulin highlighted that thanks to the Chamber’s efforts, the Beaujolais Nouveau tradition has become part of Bulgaria’s business calendar. She noted that around 1,500 business representatives were attending the event, representing 350 member companies for whom France is a key trade partner. Dumoulin said that French investments and bilateral trade have grown over the past 15 years due to a favourable business environment, and added that French companies remain highly satisfied with the technical skills and language abilities of Bulgarian professionals.